The Wellness Studio​andPulse Chinese Medicine

Welcome

Welcome to The Wellness Studio and Pulse Chinese Medicine, the acupuncture and herbal practice of Mark A. Fortney, L. Ac. Mark can be found in Nashville, Franklin, and Cool Springs, Tennessee. Using his knowledge in the tradition of Chinese Medicine as well as his intuitive sense he helps clients return to balance so that their health can flourish.

What to Expect From a Treatment

Your treatment will support overall good health and help you deal with noticeable symptoms. During your first visit we will discuss your wellness needs in detail. All aspects of your visit are strictly confidential. The intake visit includes both an extensive medical history and a physical examination of the pulse, tongue, and abdomen. For the treatment you will lie on a massage table draped with a sheet while needles are inserted. Depending on your condition, the acupuncturist may use moxabustion, a warming herbal treatment, dao yin or tui na (Asian bodywork techniques), cupping, or gua sha (a gentle scrapping of the skin to invigorate blood flow) and may prescribe herbs or an herbal formula as well as make dietary, exercise, and sleep or relaxation practice recommendations to assist in your healing.

Each of your following session will last approximately 50-minutes and begin with a check-in. Your body’s wellbeing is often influenced by events in your life, such as relationships, emotions, and injuries both past and present. The treatment room is a safe place for you to relax and rest while receiving the needles.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does acupuncture treat?The system of Chinese Medicine can be used to diagnose varied conditions and treat a wide variety of ailments. Many people find acupuncture and herbs helpful for anxiety, back pain, chronic pain of all kinds, allergies, sinus congestion, headaches, migraines, adrenal fatigue, arthritis, depression, skin conditions, vertigo, insomnia, bowel and digestive irritation, sciatica, emotional distress, fibromyalgia, fertility problems, menstrual regularity and menopausal symptoms.

How long are acupuncture appointments?Your first treatment will likely be an hour and a half. Your follow up visits will be 50 minutes. You can schedule a longer 90 minute treatment if you would like to have more time for adjunct therapies such as cupping, gua sha or dao yin.

I don’t really like needles, does it hurt?This is a very common question we hear. Acupuncture needles are hair thin and nothing like a hypodermic needle that is used at your doctor's office. Usually acupuncture needles do not hurt but you may feel a slight pinch with a few of the needle that only last a second or two. Once all the needles have been placed your acupuncturist will check to make sure you’re comfortable. Acupuncture is very relaxing and many people fall asleep.

How many treatments will I need?This will vary from person to person depending on the condition and the length of time you have had the issue. In acute situations such as a sprained ankle only a few treatments may be necessary. For chronic conditions like IBS or low back pain that you have had for years, more treatments may be needed. Your acupuncturist will do a comprehensive intake and develop a treatment plan that works with your time and budget. We will discuss this in your free consultation.

Do I need to tip my acupuncturist?No, but if you are happy with your experience we would love you to tell your friends and family and you will get $10 off your next treatment!​

Do you accept insurance?No, however we can print you a super bill and you can submit it to your insurance company if you like. Some insurances will reimburse for acupuncture.

Can I speak to you before I book an appointment?Of course. Please feel free to call to set up a time for a free 20 minute consultation that can be either on the phone or at my office.

About the Needles

Most people find that acupuncture needles are relatively painless. They are solid, only slightly thicker that the diameter of a human hair, and are made of fine quality stainless steel. The needles are individually sterilized, prepackaged, and disposed of after each use. When the needle is inserted you may feel a dull aches, a swirling sensation, a slight pinch, or warm energy. Some people feel nothing at all.

Chinese Herbs and Herbal Formulas

Many people have found Chinese Herbs to be beneficial in resolving health issues. Mark can advise on what herbs and formulas might be beneficial for you based on his Chinese Medicine diagnosis. Herbs can address many conditions. Herbs come in various forms.

​

When yin and yang divide, the five elements become disordered. The five elements, wood, water, fire, and earth, represent the five qi. The five elements of early heaven create each other following the sheng cycle. These five elements fuse to form a unified qi. From them issue forth the five virtues (de) of benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and integrity. The five elements of later heaven overcome (ke) one another following the ke cycle. This manifests as the five rebels of joy, anger, grief, happiness, and desire. - Liu Yiming

What Is Five Element Acupuncture?

In Chinese Medicine, the spectrum of energy is divided into five phases. Nature provides a model to understand body, mind, and spirit. The elements or phases are a way to understand the energies and systems of the body. Treatments with Mark address your distinct one of a kind energetic balance.

Mark's approach is based on five element training from The Academy for Five Element Acupuncture in Gainesville, FL. Five Element style acupuncture considers a constitutional type for each individual. Connecting to these energies through the acupuncture points brings someone into better balance so that they can heal.

Part of the diagnosis that Mark makes for each client is what their constitutional type is within the five elements.

Wood is the upward energy of a sprout pushing through the soil in spring.

Fire is the expansive energy one feels around a bonfire in the summer.

Earth is the circular energy of the careful gathering of each fall harvest.

Metal is the condensed energy of refined essence, such as a diamond or a brilliant autumn leaf that is about to drop from the tree.

Water is the downward energy of deep rest and resources that are renewed in the hibernation of winter.

This information is then used to create treatments that not only address the immediate concerns of the client, such as back pain or headaches, but also to address who the person is and how they can be in their best balance.

Who We Are

Mark has been practicing Chinese Medicine for the last thirteen years. He graduated from The Academy for Five Element Acupuncture in 2005 and is licensed in both North Carolina (#327) and Tennessee (#282). In addition to his practice, Mark teaches continuing education programs for acupuncturists certified by the NCCAOM.

Mark's practice is strongly based in a classical understanding of Chinese Medicine, which he applies to contemporary health concerns. He provides treatments to relieve neuromuscular pain as well as chronic conditions, from anxiety to digestive complaints. His work focuses on diagnosis of difficult to tie together symptoms. He is happy to provide a free 20 minute consultation to answer your individual questions.